Gun violence victims to be remembered in Troy

Toby Hoover's husband Dale Stone was shot and killed in a 1973 robbery at 33 years old. On Sunday, Hoover will be coming to Lutheran Church of the Master in Troy to memorialize victims of gun violence.

Since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., there have been more than 2,500 cited gun-related deaths in the United States, reports Slate Magazine, with 99 of these deaths in Michigan.

At 7 p.m. Sunday, Lutheran Church of the Master, 3333 Coolidge Highway in Troy, is inviting the community to remember those who been fatally shot. There will be a “Wall of Remembrance” set up for attendees to hang pictures or names of loved ones who have died from gun violence.

After the tragedy in Connecticut claimed the lives of 26 people, congregation member Kathy Frank knew she wanted to do something to locally memorialize victims of gun violence. Frank has been actively involved in this issue for the past 40 years — when her friend’s husband Steve Eberhard was shot and killed in a robbery at Cunningham Drug Store in Detroit. The suspect was later found and arrested.

“(Eberhard) was working as a pharmacist,” Frank, a member of the nonprofit Michigan Million Mom March, said with tears in her eyes. “When he was killed, his wife was expecting their twin sons, which he never met. I can hardly tell this story to this day. It’s like it was yesterday. It influenced me more than I probably knew at the time.”

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In May 2000, Frank took part in the Million Mom March in Washington, D.C., to promote tighter gun control, along with an estimated 750,000 people.

“We feel like right now is such a crucial time to do something,” said Frank, who will be writing Steve Eberhard’s name on the “Wall of Remembrance.”

Frank said that anyone from any faith is invited to the service. There will be a representative attending from Bharatiya Temple of Metropolitan Detroit in Troy.

Co-sponsors for the event are Troy Area Pastors and Metro Coalition of Congregations, along with the Michigan Million Mom March.

“I especially encourage anyone to come who has been affected by gun violence. We need to do something about gun violence in our country and in Michigan for sure,” said Frank.

National speaker Toby Hoover, founder of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, will talk at the memorial. The nonprofit promotes local, state and federal legislation to reduce firearm accessibility.

Hoover’s husband Dale Stone was shot and killed in a 1973 robbery at 33 years old when Hoover’s children were ages 4 and 8.

“It obviously changed my whole life,” Hoover said. “You have to make some choices at that point — do I let it change who I am or do I try to keep it from happening to other people?”

Hoover said she wants people who have lost someone to gun violence know they are not alone.

“I really encourage people to come because they can share their stories, they can meet others who have a story and have some consolation. When people come together, they can make change,” Hoover said. “People are not collateral damage.”

Paul Walters, pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Master, said, regardless of people’s stance on the Second Amendment, it’s important to remember those who have died from violence.

“We have to pray for the end of violence in this world. And we have to pray for peace,” Walters said.

For more information, call Walters at 248-643-0176 or email him at lcmoffice@hotmail.com.

Contact Monica Drake at 248-745-4687 or email her at monica.drake@oakpress.com. Find her on Twitter at monica_adele.